Combined ash tray and safety means



Aug. 17, 1943. N. GERNER 2,327,036

COMBINED ASH TRAY AND SAFETY MEANS Filed June 5, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I.

LZZ//% Aug. 17, 1943. GERNER 2,327,036

COMBINED ASH TRAY AND SAFETY MEANS Filed June 3, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet? WW I I.

H mm

- INVENTOR.

NlEL-S GER'NER.

Patented Aug. 17, 1 943 1 Q ooivmmnnssn TRAY AND SAFETY I {.MEANS Niels Gerner, Euclid, bliio Application nine 1942', Sam No. 445,557

7 tolai (01. 131-235) Thisinvention relates to a combined ash tray 1 l and safety means for use by smokersaThedevice is shown as adapted to holdfland operate on cigarettes and cigars of; similar siz and to hold ashes resulting from the smokingor burning thereof, but may beshaped to hold-and operate on cigars of standard size. 1

The device is constructedto provide .a closed chamber into which the lightedend of a. cig arette is inserted, so that as soon as the, oxygen in the air' in the chamber isconsumed due to its combination with theburning-portionof the cigarette, combustion ceases. chamber relatively small, so that it contains a small volume of air, combustion will cease inra relatively short period of time, to eliminate dan ger of fire, but by increasingthe ,size of the chamber, the cigarette will smoulder and remain lighted sufiiciently long topermit thesmokerto lay thecigarette down with. its lighted end. in-

sertedin :the chamber, while-attendingto some detail, and then again. remove it for continued use, without. being forced to re-light the cigarette. In this connection, it will be observedthatwhen the cigarette, is positioned: with its'lighted end in the chamber, smouldering, solongas such end-re mains lighted, is restricted to that. portion of the tobacco which is in a combustible state,'so that waste -.due...tocontinued burning i'sielimin-ated.

This arrangement is advantageous where the smoker has-many interruptions. .It is also. ad.-

vantageous as the smoker is well aware of the fact that in the. eventhis interruption i delayed or the cigarette is forgotten, it will eventually'ieease to burn and hence avoid danger of fire. Theconstruction is also advantageous since it providesan enclosure for the lighted end of a cigarette so that such end cannot .be accidentally or otherwise touched. V .7 u .1

One object of the invention is to; provide. an improved device for .holding lighted or burning cigarettesprovided with safety means fcrust pv p ng the burning thereof and/or .snuflingout the burning portionof the tobacco, wherebyfire By making'' the ranged to receive the lighted end of the cigarette and means in the chamber for varying the'size ofthe chamber to increase or decrease the volume of oxygen therein; whereby further combustion is arrested and snuffed out. f v

I Aiurther object of the invention is to provide an improved ashtray and safety attachment therefor of simple construction.

vOther objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

wherein v Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device embodying my invention. I

Fig. 2 is a side elevation. I

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4. is a section on theliiie '4.4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is aplan view with parts broken away,

showing a modified form of construction.

Fig. 6 is a plan view with parts broken away,

: showing a difierent-embodimentof the invention.

Fig..'? is a section on the line 1"| of Fig. 6.

Fig.' 8 is an elevational view of the partition walls. I

In thedra'wings, 1 indicates as an entirety a base which may be formed of or coated with noninii'ammablenmaterial. It is desirable to form r the parts of the device from or coated with a material incapable of being attacked by tobacco whichisinastate'of, combustion, so that such parts" may be readily cleaned from time to time. To secure these results I prefer to form the parts of glass which may be colored or decorated in any desired manner. ,In the preferred arrangement,,the base 'I may be opaque or semi-opaque, whereas'the cap (iaterrefer'red to) for the snuffing chamber may be transparent, whereby the smoker can determine whether he has positioned the lighted end of the cigarette therein and whether the cigarette is still lighted in the event he'wishes'jto remove it. The base lis preferably of circular. contour. In this formof construction'the base I is shaped to' forma centrallydisposed recess 2 and an ash tray 3 around portions of the side walls of the recess 2.. 4 indicates a support extending from one side of the recess 2 to'the periphery of' the base I and formed with afconcayed' groove 4'. to receive and hold a cigarette, the sidewalls of the recess 2 and ash tray being'cut-away at 2', 3-, respectively, in alined relation to the'groove 4', so that when a cigarette is positioned on the support 4 itsinner end may extend into the recess and its outer end outwardly beyond .the periphery of the base l depending upon the length of the cigarette. indicates a cap for the recess 2 to'form a smouldering or snufiing chamber 5a to permit of access to the recess 2. The cap Eremovably fits over the recess. By preference the side walls of the recess 2 extend above the support 3 to form a seat 2a, for the cap, the inner wall of the latter being rabbeted, as shown, to fit over the seat 2a. At one side, the cap 5 is cutaway as shown at 51), which co-operates with the cutaway 2 to form a round opening 5b of a size to snugly fit the inserted end portion of a ciga j- I rette, so that when the cap 5 is in position and. v. a cigarette is placed on the support 4' with its inner end portion inserted into and through the opening 51) formed by thecut-aways 2'; 5b, the recess 2 and cap 5 entirely close the chamber 5a,

whereby further combustion of the lighted ciga-* rette will depend on the amount of oxygen; present in the air in the chamber 5a.-

Ig/ieans are provided for alining the '-cut--aw ay' 5b with the support '4 to facilitate prop'er p osi'- tioning of the cap l'awhen'it is repla'cedi means are preferably provided for by orly rabbeted wall of the-cap 5," whereby'its marginal edge extends slightly below the plane of'the support L'so that the opposite sides of the cut-away 5b engage the sides of "the-support and accordingly determine the operative position of the cap 5 as well as prevent it from rotating on its seat 2:; into'a position disalined with the support 4.

The chamber 5a may be of any predetermined size-to regulate the approximate period of time it will take for combustion of the lighted agarette end to entirely cease. However, by providing in the chamber 541a rctatabl'emembe'r indicated as an entirety'at B, shown in Fig.5, the

size'of the snufiing chamber (that is, itsvo'lu metric capacity) may be changed: The mem her 6 consists of a diametrical wall 6d forming the latter wall and walls of the chamber 5a sub i chambers 6b, 6b ,"whichdiffer in sizerfrom each other as well as being smaller than the chamber Go. By rotating the member 6 it will'be apparent thatjany one ofthe chambers a, 6?), %b may be alinedwith the opening 5?). The walls 8a, 6b, are preferably'integral and throughout their end edges closely fit the inher'walls of the recess 2 and cap 5. Eb inoperative relation to each chamber and a support 4 alined with each opening 5b. so that each and all of the chambers may be utilized.

Figs. (Sand '7 illustrate an embodiment of the invention wherein the-base l is'pr'ovided with four grooved supports i disposed at rightangles to each other and extending from the recess 2 outwardly. In'this arrangement, I provide a partitioning device'indicated as an entirety at 6x having four walls r disposed at right angles to each other; but each arranged to engage'the' side walls of the recess 2 in a plane substantially fits the upper end walls of the recess {as already set'forth. The sidewallof the cap 'I'is formed with cut-aways la spaced 9!) degreestherearound to form with the'gro'oves "of the supports '4 open- I provide an' opening this form of construction, the end edgesof the walls Bx closely engage the inner walls of the cap 1 as well as the inner Walls of the recess 2, so that when a cigarette is positioned on any one of the supports 4 with its lighted end projected through the opening 1a alined therewith into the adjacent space or chamber 6:0" the latter'is entirely closed to prevent the escape therefrom of air, so that as soon as the combustion of the lighted endconsumes the oxygen content of the air in the space, further combustion will cease.

The device 6a; is formed separate from the .walls ofdthe recess and removable therefrom.

" vDue to the 'fact that the chamber or space into beclosed by the latter, smoke and fumes generated therein cannot escape into the surroundingatmosphere. 7 .Where the cap is formed of transparent material, ash accumulationin the space or chamber can be'read'ily observed t'o determln'e whet/her such accumulation should be removed To those skilled in the art to which-my invention relates many changes in construction and tion. My disclosures andthedescriptl'on herein are purely illustrative and are not intendedfto be inanysenselimiting. I V 7 What I claim is:' I 1. A combined ashtray-and safety means comprisinga device having-a recess. a tray for ashes outwardly of said recessfand'a grooved supportfor a cigarette orthe like leading from the up per edge'of the side wall of said tray to the upper edge of the side' wall of said recess, and a cap for said recess seated on :the side wallthereof and-forming with said .recess a chambenthe side wall or, said cap being formed with a "cut away alin'ed with the groove at the innerend of saidc 1 support to form an opening-leading intoisflld chambeh-to permit the inner lighted 'of a cigarette to :be 'projected through .the opening into'rsaid' 'chamber, the sizeofsaidropenlng art proximating that o'fthe cigarette, whereby when acigarette'iisiplaced onsaidsupport'andlts'inner end is :projected through said'opehing said chainher is closed to prvent'the intake of:air;thereiuto.

rotatable infsaidchamber.

r '4. A'combined'a'shtray and-safety insns'amprising a device having acentrany aispdsea re- 1 cess,-"a tray'forashessurrounding-said rces'sfand a plurality of V grooved supports for cigarettes bi the like l'e'ading f r'om the u per nu of the "side ings each arrangedto snugly fit'a cigarette when walloisaid tray to theupper end-offthesideffiall or said "recess, "a cap seated on thej ide we}! or said recess and for'rnih'g therewith a'cha' mbei', the side wall of said cap being formed" 1th cut aways each -arranged' -t'o ali'ne with the groove 'at the inn'e'r end "of one of said supports' tb; 'forixi an opmn to permit thelight edend era tiger-emto be projected through the Opening into said chamber, and partitions within said chamber, the peripheral edges of said partitions being shaped to fit the inner walls of said chamber to divide it into sub-chambers, one for each of said openings, the size of each said Opening approximating that of the cigarette, whereby when a cigarette is placed on the adjacent support and its inner end is projected through said opening into the sub-chamber related thereto said sub-chamber .is closed to prevent the intake of air thereinto.

5. A combined ash try and safety means as claimed in claim 1 wherein the opposite sides of the cut away formed in said cap engage the sides of said support to prevent disalinement of the opening therewith.

6. In a combined ash try andsafety means, the combination of ,a device comprising a bottom wall having spaced inner and outer upstanding annular walls arranged to form a recess within said inner annular wall and an ash tray be tween said annular walls and a support extending between and connected at its opposite ends to said annular walls and arranged to support a cigarette or the like and a cap seated on said inner annular wail and forming with said bottom wall and said inner annular wall a chamber, said cap being formed with a cut away arranged to aline with said support to form therewith an opening through which the lighted end of the cigarette when placed on said support may be rojected into said chamber, the size of said opening approximating that of the cigarette, whereby when a cigarette is projected through said opening into said chamberthe latter is substantially sealed to prevent the intake of air 

